


Tangled Together

by saturndust



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Non-Explicit Sex, Small Hizzie brotp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2020-05-18 14:50:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19336750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saturndust/pseuds/saturndust
Summary: Today was a risk. Well, every day was a risk for her but today even more so. Today when the monster sunk its fangs into her neck she didn’t leap right back up, snarling and ready to snap its neck with just the slight movement of her wrist and murmur of her lips.No.Instead, when the monster sank its teeth into her neck and flung her to the side, leaving her for dead, she lay there, unable to shakily get to her feet as she felt the poison sink into her veins. Instead, she lay there, bloody and battered and not even prepared to put up a fight. Today was the closest Hope Mikaelson had come to death.//Or: Hope's rattled after a battle and Josie comes to check up on her





	1. Fortnite Pyjamas

**_Every second counts_ **

**_I don't wanna talk to you anymore_ **

 

Hope puffed out a breath of air as she ran her fingers through her hair for what felt like the hundredth time that day. She caught sight of herself in the mirror midway through her glance around her bedroom, suddenly finding herself not being able to help but trace her fingers down the white line left on the pale skin of her neck; the closest thing she’ll have to a scar she supposes. 

 

Today was a risk. Well, every day was a risk for her but today even more so. Today when the monster sunk its fangs into her neck she didn’t leap right back up, snarling and ready to snap its neck with just the slight movement of her wrist and murmur of her lips. 

 

No. 

 

Instead, when the monster sank its teeth into her neck and flung her to the side, leaving her for dead, she lay there, unable to shakily get to her feet as she felt the poison sink into her veins. Instead, she lay there, bloody and battered and not even prepared to put up a fight. Today was the closest Hope Mikaelson had come to death.

 

_ “Hope!” _

 

_ As soon as her classroom door had swung open, Hope Mikaelson instinctively had her books closed and was already on her feet, prepared and even excited for the mission she just knew Dr Saltzman had for her. Her expression was neutral, however, simply quirking an eyebrow and folding her arms easily across her chest as the rest of the witches in her class stared at her, most of them already knew it was  _ that  _ time of the day that Lizzie had infamously named “Hope Mikaelson’s daily hero hour”.  _

 

_ “Dr Saltzman?” She asked cooly.  _

 

_ “There’s been a sighting. We need to go now, I’ve been told that some young witches were also spotted near the sighting and you know what that means.” Alaric tilted his head as Hope nodded, completely unfazed as this was essentially routine for her. _

 

_ Just before she left the classroom she turned back (mainly due to the wolf whistle given by Penelope Park as she strutted out) and glanced at her classmates.  _

 

_ She first caught Penelope’s eyes, the raven-haired witch easily sending her best friend a wink as she rolled her eyes in response. However, as she turned away again, her eyes managed to lock on to her.  _

 

_ Josie stared back at her, a small smile on her face that became wider when their eyes locked. Josie’s eyes sparkled as she gave a nod of encouragement.  _

 

_ “Stay safe.” She mouthed.  _

 

_ Hope returned the smile.  _

 

_ “Always” being the response behind the quirk of her lips.  _

 

_ Josie giggled softly as Hope felt the familiar spread of warmth in her chest as she turned again, more of a spring in her step even though she could hear Dr Saltzman’s impatient calls of her name grow louder as she walked towards him.  _

 

_ “So, who’s ass are we going to kick today?” Hope smiled.  _

 

_ “30-minute drive, three witches and furies.” _

 

_ “A fury?” Hope asked as Dr Saltzman slammed his car door closed, crossbow (better known as the ‘manspreading tool’) thrown in the back. “Malivore really like their Greek Mythology.” She smirked as she settled back into her seat.  _

 

_ “Don’t get too cocky, just because we know more about it doesn’t make it any easier to kill,” Alaric warned, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as they drove along the road.  _

 

_ “Relax, we’ve got this.” _

 

Yet, the sound of venomous snarling and wings beating against the wind as Hope felt the hot, reeking breath of the fury patter against her cheek she started to think that, no, she hadn’t “got this”. 

 

Upon her first look at the furies, one thought alone had crossed her mind: this was nothing like Percy Jackson. 

 

See, Percy Jackson had taken one swift swing of his sword and the fury had turned to dusk. However, due to the absence of a celestial bronze sword Hope had to make do with her spells and her werewolf strength. 

 

Easy enough, right?

 

Wrong. 

 

They had found the witches (Kelly, her younger sister James and a young boy Mikhail) and they were now safe and inside Alaric’s truck, thus leaving Alaric and Hope to deal with the furies. Whilst the former decided to face them from a sensible distance (given their claws, wings and newly developed venom (that definitely wasn’t in any of the Percy Jackson books)) whereas the latter decided a more hands-on approach was required. 

 

Hope had torn through them, picking them off one by one but the numbers just grew and grew, these creatures were nothing like what she had handled before. Blood dripped down her chin and her eyes stung with the poisonous air that reeked from their mouths. She blinked quickly, trying to clear her vision as her eyes teared up from the stinging. 

 

It turns out you need fully functioning eyes to battle furies as whilst Hope took a mere 5 seconds to clear her visions a fury decided to strike. 

 

_ Claws dug into her back just as Hope raised her hand, her mouth hanging open mid-spell as she fell to her knees. _

 

_ Alaric’s distant scream turned into white noise as her face hit the tarmac, feeling the weight of the fury press against her back. _

 

_ Hope took in a shuddering breath as the fury’s claws settled against her skin, pressing against it and threatening to break her porcelain skin. It was threatening to spill blood against it, staining the white skin red, a red she wasn’t quite sure would easily heal back up this time because she could feel the poisonous venom sinking deeper into her veins and into every blood cell in her body. It spread across her like wildfire as she struggled to breathe, desperately wracking her brain for some sort of anchor to life, a way to live through this, a tether to life.  _

 

_ “Give us the knife.” The fury snarled, voice raspy and low.  _

 

_ “Fuck… you…” Hope rasped out, a low snarl gurgling in the back of her throat, her inner wolf trying its best to summon up the required strength to lash out and tear this thing’s head off.  _

 

_ Her head spun as the hissing of the fury was drowned out by the ringing in her ears as she wracked her brain for some sort of tether, some strong enough reason for her to leap back up and cling on to life.  _

 

_ A distant murmur of what sounded like her name rang through the buzzing in her ears.  _

 

_ Hope’s eyes drooped as the fury’s claws pierced her skin, her vision growing bleary as the iron taste of blood dripped into her mouth, Hope struggling to tell whose blood it was: her blood or the furies’.  _

 

_ “Hope!” The voice was suddenly clear as Hope felt a rush within her veins.  _

 

_ “Josie.” _

 

_ Hope didn’t know what happened but before she knew it she was back in Alaric’s van, the man in question driving way past the speed limit. She cast her eyes to the left, searching for her but instead meeting unfamiliar green eyes and a look of fear but simultaneously relief.  _

 

_ Hope felt the weight of her blood-caked hair on top of her head, the blood starting to dry up in her auburn locks, them hanging clumped and almost tauntingly in front of her eyes.  _

 

_ “Hope?” She recognised Dr Saltzman’s concerned voice immediately as she turned her head to face him. “We’re almost there Hope, just hold on.” He said through gritted teeth, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.  _

 

_ “Where… where is she?” Hope croaked out.  _

 

_ “Who is she talking about?” A small voice asked from the back, quickly followed by a shushing sound from, what she presumed, the unfamiliar green-eyed girl.  _

 

_ “Just 4 more minutes Hope,” Alaric muttered, pressing firmly down on the gas as he sped up the drive leading to the school. “Kelly, what did Dorian tell you?” He asked, Hope’s eyes slowly starting to droop again as she opened her mouth, desperate to have her question answered.  _

 

_ “He said something about Emma being alerted and having the sick bay ready for her.” A voice, presumably Kelly, replied. “Can I do anything to help? I’ve had doctors training and I know that this is totally different, given this is a supernatural injury, but I can help out if you need it?” She sounded guilty and Hope could feel her eyes boring into her, staring at her.  _

 

_ “No, just worry about your sister and Mikhail for now,” Alaric said, “but I will need help getting her into the sickbay.” _

 

_ “J-Josie.” Hope croaked out, reaching over to Alaric. “Wh-where’s Josie?” She asked, feeling light-headed as her surroundings began to spin.  _

 

_ Alaric ignored her as he pulled the car to a stop, Hope feeling enraged at her unanswered question. However, that raged was put to a quick stop as she soon felt herself being pulled out of the car and into someone’s arms. She heard the sound of several pairs of feet coming towards her, the ringing in her eyes turning all the cries of distress into white noise. _

 

_ Yet, one thing in her mind registered.  _

 

_ “Hope!” Her cry rang out the loudest as Hope desperately tried to focus on her face as she was carried inside.  _

 

_ “Josie…” She whispered before it turned dark.  _

 

So yeah, today wasn’t a good day. 

 

Hope’s silent brooding was interrupted as she quickly drew her hand back from tracing along her scar as if the person at her door could see through it; as if the person at her door could see her in her rare moment of weakness. She rolled her shoulders back as she turned, walking as confidently as she could towards the door, shaking her nerves off as she swung open the door. 

 

Hope’s breath immediately hitched as her eyes found a timid looking Josie standing at her door, already dressed in her pyjamas and shifting from foot to foot. 

 

“Hi.” Josie smiled shyly, accompanying the greeting with a wiggle of her fingers. 

 

Hope clung to the door as she regained herself. “Hi.” She replied, her voice quieter than she expected and all too soft, just as she expected her eyes to be as they bore into Josie’s warm brown ones. 

 

“Y-you … uh … Penelope said you were here after and I … I just wanted - I just wanted to see you, Hope.” Josie managed, nervously toying with a loose thread on her pyjamas, her eyes soft and honest and it was just all so much for Hope in those moments. 

 

Hope nodded slowly before realising they were still just… standing there. 

 

“Oh, do you want to come in?” She asked, Josie then nodding in response as Hope held the door open wider. 

 

“Hope, I-”

 

“Josie I’m-”

 

“Oh, you go first.” 

 

“No, you,” Hope said firmly as Josie bit her lip. 

 

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Josie murmured, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. “I was really worried about you.” She murmured. 

 

“I’m okay now, I promise.” Hope smiled, reaching out slightly to squeeze Josie’s arm gently. The two then quickly looked at the floor, not really knowing what to do at that moment. 

 

“You… you do that a lot.” Josie says, her voice quiet. 

 

“Do what?”

 

“Say you’re okay when you really aren’t.” 

 

“Josie…”

 

“Hope, you almost died today.” Josie bit out, her voice suddenly intense, her eyes wide and pleading and almost desperate. “You almost died and you’re saying you’re fine when you’re not and I - I just don’t know what I would’ve done if you…”

 

The room fell silent. 

 

“You don’t care, Hope,” Josie whispered, her face almost inaudible, “you don’t care about getting hurt. But I do, I care so much it makes my heart hurt. When you get hurt … Hope if you died today I think I would’ve lost it.”

 

Hope stared at her, absolutely speechless. 

 

“If you die I will go out of my freaking mind. And I know it’s selfish and self-centred but I just don’t care! Hope Mikaelson you are  _ not _ going to die on me and that’s it.” Josie finished, tears pooling in her eyes as they trickled down her face. 

 

Hope’s face softened as she furrowed her eyebrows, concern painted on her face as she slowly approached Josie. 

 

She reached up to Josie’s face, gently cradling her face in her hands as she wiped away the tears with the pad of her thumb. 

 

“Jo, I promise I’m not dying on you anytime soon,” Hope whispered, her eyes searching Josie’s, honesty and just pure unadulterated love on her face. “I promise that just as long as you promise the same, okay?”

 

“Okay…” Josie whispered, wrapping her arms around Hope’s waist and pulling her close. 

 

Josie buried her face in Hope’s hair, gently kissing her hair and inhaling her sent as Hope relaxed, wrapping her arms around Josie as she placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, nuzzling her face into the soft material of Josie’s pyjama top. 

 

“I hope you know what you’ve just gotten yourself into,” Hope mumbled as Josie hummed questioningly, pressing a kiss to the shell of Hope’s ear. “That promise you made is a life-long bond that you can no longer break. Essentially it means you’re stuck with me for now.” Hope shrugged, Josie chuckling softly, her laugh bringing a smile on Hope’s face as she felt her warm breath fanning out against her neck. 

 

“That doesn’t seem so bad,” Josie mumbled. “I quite like the sound of having you for a long time…” 

 

Hope then felt Josie freeze up as she let that out. 

 

Before she had the chance to pull away Hope did it instead. 

 

Yet, when Hope pulled away and looked Josie in the eyes, she kept her arms tightly wound around her waist. Josie’s warm brown eyes seemed to stare into her soul as they met Hope’s magnetic ocean blue ones. Just staring at each other whilst an unspoken question drifted between them, neither daring to ask it. 

 

“Can I kiss you?” Hope whispered.

 

Josie nodded, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, as Hope grinned, lifting herself up on her tiptoes as her lips finally met Josie’s. 

 

Josie would be lying if she said she hasn’t been longing for this to happen since she was 12 years old writing a note for her crush, so when she finally knows how Hope Mikaelson’s lips feel against hers she already can’t get enough.

 

Hope smiled into the kiss as she felt both her and Josie’s pulses race, the beating of the furies’ wings paling in comparison to the butterflies that had erupted inside of her. 

 

Hope’s hands had travelled up from Josie’s waist, one tangling in her brown hair and the other planted firmly on her neck. Hope pulled Josie closer by her hair, smirking at the small whimper the action had coaxed from the taller girl. Josie’s hands remained on Hope’s hips, them having drifted under her t-shirt and her fingers had started to trace circles into Hope’s pale skin. 

 

Hope hummed contentedly as Josie pulled her closer by her hips, them fitting together almost perfectly that it seemed far too cliche. 

 

Josie gasps quietly as Hope tugs on her hair again, Hope taking this opportunity and slipping her tongue into the other girl’s mouth; Josie was a drug to her and she was less than a minute in and already addicted to the other girl. 

Hope began to pull away from the other girl, eliciting a whimper from the other girl that made Hope’s stomach burn and quickly deciding that that was her new favourite noise ever. Hope smiled at the brunette as she placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, straining on her toes to reach it. 

 

However, a mere few seconds later, Hope pressed her lips to Josie’s neck, falling in love with the low moan she managed to draw out of the other girl. Josie whines as Hope nips at her pulse point, the Mikaelson girl revelling in how Josie fell into her as if she was hers. 

 

Maybe it was her inner wolf or maybe it was just her but as Hope nipped the hickey onto Josie’s neck she thought of it as some sort of claim; Josie was hers now. 

 

Hope began to back the girl up, stopping when the back of Josie’s legs hit the bed to push her down on to it, clambering into her lap soon after. 

 

Hope wound her legs around the brown-eyed girl, kissing her firmly again as the other girl moaned into it, rolling her hips upwards as the older girl let out a groan of her own. 

 

“Christ, Josie.” She murmurs, not missing the adorable giggle the other girl lets out. 

 

And it’s so unfair, so unfair that even in a moment like  _ this _ Josie still was able to be absolutely adorable. And now, whenever Hope hears that little giggle all she’ll be able to think about is this: herself planted on Josie’s lap, hickey forming on the witch’s neck, cheeks flushed and Josie writhing beneath her, hips rolling upwards. 

 

“W-wait,” Hope says suddenly, pushing back gently on Josie’s shoulders just to create some distance. “Jos, are you sure you want this? You were just upset and I don’t want it to -”

 

Josie quickly cut the auburn-haired girl off with a searing kiss, the smaller girl letting out a very out-of-character squeak before melting into it. 

 

“Trust me, Hope. You’re not taking advantage of me or anything. I want this. I want you, Hope Mikaelson.” She whispered, cupping Hope’s face and stroking her thumbs across the older girl’s cheeks. 

 

“And I want you, Josie Saltzman. You have no idea how much I want you.’ Hope replied, resting her forehead against the younger girl’s. 

 

“B-but when I say ‘I want you’ it’s not just like a physical, sexual thing though.” The younger girl says quickly, Hope opening an eye and looking at her, the beginning of a teasing smirk on her lips. “I mean, yes I want you in that way but I-”

 

“Jos, you’re overthinking,” Hope whispered against her lips as she leant back in. “Just follow my lead, okay? I got you.” She smiled, her eyes and smile and just everything about her so soft in that moment that Josie can’t help but smile back. 

 

“Okay.” 

 

A frenzy of thrown shirts and a few (okay, a lot) comments made about Hope’s abs from Josie later had Josie breathless as she laid back down against Hope’s pillows, feeling Hope kiss down her stomach. 

 

Hope arrived at the hem of Josie’s pyjama trousers, she glanced at them once more, a double take of sorts, before looking back up at Josie. 

 

“Are you wearing Fortnite pyjama trousers?” Hope snorted as Josie flushed with embarrassment. 

 

“I wasn’t exactly planning for  _ this _ , Hope when I picked out my pyjamas for the night.” The taller girl grumbled as the auburn-haired girl smirked.

 

“I think they’re adorable, nerd,” She smiled softly, her hands resting on Josie’s hips as she looked at her one more time.

 

_ “Is this okay?” _ Her eyes asked, Josie nodding, giving her a reassuring smile. 

 

Hope then proceeded, pulling Josie’s Fortnite pyjamas down to her ankles, guiding her feet out of them. 

 

As Hope slipped off her own shorts she looked at Josie once again, smiling to herself. 

 

“You’re perfect Josie Saltzman.” Hope whispers, leaning back down again to kiss her. 

 

“You don’t need to do that, I’m already going to sleep with you.” Josie rolled her eyes as Hope giggled, kissing her cheeks and her forehead and her nose as the brown-eyed girl giggled. 

 

“I mean it, you’re beautiful, Josie.” Hope smiles as Josie cradles her face. 

 

“And you are gorgeous, Hope Mikaelson,” Josie whispers against her lips, pulling her in for another kiss. 


	2. Of F*cking Course

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry?

Josie blinked her eyes open as the sun peeked through the curtains of Hope’s room, shining directly onto the faces of the sleeping girls. Josie yawned softly, rubbing her eyes before they landed on the sleeping girl tucked under the blankets and snuggling into Josie’s side, her auburn hair tickling the tan skin of Josie’s legs and stomach as Hope sighed.

 

Josie felt a smile take its form on her face as Hope’s arm reached up, wrapping around her bare waist and pulling herself closer to the brown-eyed witch. Josie smiled and leaned forward to press a tender kiss to the pale skin of Hope’s shoulder, revelling in the warmth that radiated off of the older girl. 

 

Hope’s breath came out in little snores, thus telling Josie the blue-eyed girl was still asleep. Josie chuckled to herself at how much Hope reminded her of a puppy in this state. Josie smiled, tucking auburn hair behind Hope’s ear, fingers running through it freely afterwards as she thought back to last night.

 

The gentle caress of Hope’s fingers against her skin, the sound of Hope’s moans, the flush on Hope’s cheeks, how her fingers dug into Hope’s back and how Hope pulled at her hair. 

 

Sadly, Josie’s thoughts were cut short as her phone started to buzz on Hope’s nightstand. How on earth in ended up there next to Hope’s was unknown to Josie but she didn't bother questioning it, brushing her hair out of her face as she glanced at her notifications, eyes squinting at the bright light. 

 

She noticed the unread messages from Lizzie asking where she was, to which she may or may not have replied with a small white lie about working late in the library, before one in particular caught her eye. 

 

_Hey, have you seen Hope? Landon’s looking for her._

**Sent from MG at 11:58 pm**

 

_Landon said her door was locked, can you check on her for him?_

**Sent from MG at 12:05 am**

 

Josie was about to type out a reply to MG before she paused. 

 

“Oh fuck,” Josie whispered. “Landon.” 

 

The wave of guilt washed over her as she looked back down at Hope.

 

Hope who she had sex with just last night.

 

Hope who was still dating Landon.

 

Hope who was lying very naked next to her after having sex with her.

 

Having had sex with her, Josie, and not Landon, her boyfriend. 

 

“Shit.” She cursed. 

 

//

 

Hope raised her head from her pillows, sitting up and stretching whilst the blankets fell around her hips, pooling around her as she let out a yawn. 

 

Her stomach felt warm her head clear and herself, all in all, just so happy. 

 

Hope turned her head, searching for Josie, but instead found an empty space. 

 

The auburn haired girl frowned as she sat up, looking around the room and finding Josie’s previously cast aside clothes now gone and no Josie in sight. 

 

Hope’s stomach then dropped and the smile melted off her face. 

 

//

 

Josie glanced around the eerily quiet corridors of the Salvatore school, looking left and right to make sure no one was walking around and would, thereby, catch her sneaking back to her room looking… well... like she had sex the night before.

 

Which, you know, she did. 

 

Josie sighed in relief upon hearing no one trudging around this early in the morning and made the final stretch towards her and Lizzie’s room, her bra clutched tight in her hand and her hand reaching out to turn the door handle and -

 

“Josie?.” Josie froze in her tracks, hand on her doorknob. 

 

Of course. 

 

Of fucking course Penelope was awake. 

 

Josie thumped her head against the door lightly, gritting her teeth before plastering on a smile and turning around, quickly shoving her hand with her bra clutched within it behind her back as she leaned against her door. 

 

“Hi.” She smiled, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. 

 

“Hey, Jojo.” The raven-haired witch smiled. “What are you doing up this early?” As Josie opened her mouth, trying to think of a good excuse, she noticed Penelope glancing over her body; from Josie’s bare feet to her messy hair and especially the bra poorly hidden behind her back, Penelope knew Josie had sex. 

 

“I - I could ask you the same thing,” Josie answered lamely, noticing the smirk that formed on Penelope’s lips.

 

“Hm, actually I was just heading to go check on Hope,” Penelope explained, walking closer to Josie as she did so. “You know, she had a pretty rough day yesterday and MG said her door was locked and she wasn’t answering.” She stopped suddenly, less than half a meter away from Josie. 

 

Josie gulped, the hand behind her back falling slightly, just in time for Penelope to seize it. 

 

“From this, I’m guessing you were the reason for that locked door.” 

 

Josie flushed red and Penelope grinned. 

 

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.” Josie sputtered out. “I was just… I just came from the library, I had a paper to… uh… write. It’s - uh - due in today and I hadn’t finished it.”

 

“Hmm, yeah I’m sure.” Penelope nodded, raising her eyebrows in a very unconvinced way. “Anyways, I’m off to go see Hope who I’m sure looks just as sexed up as you do.” The witch winked, pressing a flirty kiss to Josie’s cheek before walking off, Josie’s cheeks flaming red.

 

As soon as Penelope turned the corner Josie groaned out, tipping her head back until it thumped against the door. 

 

“I’m so screwed.” She muttered, yanking the door to her and Lizzie’s room open as she slipped inside. 

 

A few hours later Josie found herself arm-in-arm with Lizzie and walking to breakfast together. Yet, as much as Josie tried to listen to her sister’s latest drama with whoever is so unlucky in the school (or maybe it was the news of a new student joining? Josie doesn’t know) she just can't help but let her mind wander to the auburn-haired tribrid. 

 

“Jo? Jo, are you even listening to me?” Lizzie’s voice broke her thought process.

 

“Hm?” Josie said, picking up a bowl for her cereal as she looked over to Lizzie. “Oh, yeah yeah, sorry Liz, just a little tired.” Lizzie nodded as she continued on about the three new students that joined yesterday.

 

“Okay, Dad wants us to tour the older sister after breakfast because she’s about our age and Emma’s going to be touring her sister and the boy they found with her,” Lizzie explained as she grabbed a pastry, Josie nodding along as she poured milk over her cereal. 

 

“Wait, if they arrived yesterday, why are we doing the tour today?” Josie frowned.

 

Lizzie rolled her eyes and squinted at her sister.

 

“I went over this five minutes ago, Josette.” She sighed dramatically, walking off to sit down with MG, Kaleb and Rafael, who were already seated and eating breakfast. 

 

Josie sat down next to MG, greeting the boys before turning her attention back to Lizzie. 

 

“We’re doing the tour today because she’s the girl Hope rescued yesterday,” Lizzie explained. Josie tensed up at Hope’s name.

 

“You alright, Jo?” Kaleb asked, gently patting her arm from where he sat across the brunette witch. Josie nodded quickly, smiling at him to reassure the vampire. 

 

“Yeah, fine,” Josie murmured. “She must be rattled though.” Josie thought aloud, Lizzie nodding in agreement.

 

“But,” Lizzie said, “there’s a small problem with the tour today.” Josie raised an eyebrow. “I can’t make it, so you’ll have to do it by yourself,” Lizzie explained, Josie opened her mouth to ask why before remembering that Lizzie had an appointment with Emma today, therefore quickly closing her mouth and shrugging. 

 

“It’s no problem, Liz.” She smiled, gently squeezing her sister’s arm, to which Lizzie gave her a smile in return. 

 

“Hey, guys.” Josie looked up to find Landon sitting down adjacent from her.

 

Josie’s mind immediately went back; Hope’s hands trailing down her stomach, Hope’s breath against her cheek, her whining as Hope kissed down her - 

 

“Josie?” MG asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

 

“What?” She blinked, seeing her friends glancing at her curiously.

 

“Landon just asked if you know if Hope’s okay?” Rafael stated.

 

“What? Why - why would I know that? I haven’t seen Hope since yesterday, you know when everyone saw her. When we were all together. All of us.” She blurted out defensively.

 

“But, Peez told me you were looking for her last night and you went to her room?” MG asked curiously, raising his eyebrows. 

 

“I… I uh…” Josie struggled to find her words at that moment. 

 

"Why are you talking about me?" Penelope interrupted, setting her tray down next to Lizzie's as she took a seat. 

 

"Didn't Josie go to Hope's room last night?" MG said, asking a new question rather than answering Penelope's. Penelope smirked as she looked at Josie. 

 

"That's certainly one thing she did last night." The witch smirked as Josie flushed bright red. 

 

"What do you mean? What else did she do?" Lizzie suddenly piped up. 

 

Josie glared at Penelope, the shorter girl wiggling her eyebrows. 

 

"More like who-"

 

"RIGHT." Josie slammed her hands on the table as she stood up. "I have a tour to give to a new student and I can't be late." She stated firmly. 

 

"Jo, you have ages to-"

 

"Well, you know what they say, 'early is on time and on time is late'." Josie picked up her tray. "I'll see you guys around." She grinned. 

 

Josie quickly walked away, feeling sick to her stomach and unbelievably embarrassed. Landon was sitting right _there and_ Penelope had almost given it away. 

 

Josie sighed as she put her tray away, speeding toward the dining hall door. As she looked back over to the table her friends sat at she lost her footing, tripping over her own feet and falling. 

 

“Woah!” Josie felt arms steady her as she looked up towards the person who caught her mid-fall. “Are you okay, Jo?” Josie found Hope’s concerned-filled eyes searching her face. 

 

The first throb of guilt settled in the back of her head as she lost herself and her train of thought in Hope’s blue eyes. Hope’s grip was tight on her arms, holding her upright and, for all she knew, the only thing keeping her grounded at that moment. 

 

“Jo? Jo, you’re scaring me.” Hope whispered, one of her hands reaching up to caress the younger girl’s face tenderly and her eyes growing more and more concerned that Josie couldn’t help but just melt under Hope’s gaze. 

 

“I - 'm fine. Sorry for bumping into you, I was just in my own head.” Josie said quickly, not being able to stop herself from leaning her cheek into Hope’s warm palm. “S-sorry again and thanks for catching me.” She smiled shyly, her voice trailing off towards the end. 

 

“Always,” Hope mumbled, Josie’s cheeks flushing in response.

 

“Hope!” Josie immediately recognised Landon’s voice and upon hearing the scrape of a chair she backed away from Hope as if the tribrid were on fire. 

 

“Jo? Jo, what’s wrong?” Hope started to walk towards the siphon, reaching out to hold her face again yet Josie grabbed her wrist, stopping her halfway. 

 

“Please.” She whispered. “Please don’t.” The guilt of what she did to Landon throbbing more persistently at the back of her head now.

 

“Don’t what? Josie, what did I do?” Hope asked, her voice sounding almost desperate as she searched the girl in front of her for answers to her abundance of questions. 

 

Josie bit her lip, holding her tears back as she looked to her left. Hope followed her gaze, finding Landon walking towards them and immediately understanding. 

 

“No, no Josie it’s not like-”

 

“Hope, please.” Josie pleaded. 

 

“Josie, please listen to me it's not-”

 

“Hope, I was worried sick about you,” Landon said, grabbing the auburn-haired girl’s arm and making her face him. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” He smiled. 

 

“Landon not-”

 

“Yeah Hope,” Josie interrupted quickly, “he was really concerned about you. You should talk to him.” She stated, turning to leave, yet before she managed to push the dining room door open Hope grabbed her arm once more.

 

“Josie…” Her name was said like a prayer, rolling off of her tongue like it was the name of some holy deity. “I want to talk to you. Please let me explain.”

 

“Explain what, Hope?” Landon asked, Hope turning back to glare at him. 

 

“Just let me go,” Josie said, her voice wavering and tears starting to pool in her eyes. As Hope’s blue eyes bore into her own warm brown ones, Hope gave her one last pleading look before the taller girl straightened her back and cleared her throat, gently yanking her hand from Hope’s grip. “I have a tour to be going to now anyway.” She said matter-of-factly, despite her voice still shaking slightly. 

 

Josie then pushed the door open, looking at Hope’s pleading face one more time. 

 

“I’ll see you guys later.” She smiled a tight-lipped smile before slipping out of the hall. 

 

As soon as Josie left the hall she started walking as quickly as she could without it looking unnatural or as if she was running - which she was but no one needed to know that. She wiped away the few tears that started to fall down her cheeks, regathering herself before plastering on a huge smile as she approached the school’s main entrance. 

 

She took a deep breath as she placed a hand on the grand door before pushing it open and stepping outside. 

 

Just as she stepped out she caught sight of her father, her smile becoming more genuine as she walked over to him, fiddling with the charm bracelet on her wrist as she did so. 

 

“Morning Dad.” She smiled as he turned around. 

 

“Ah! Josie.” He grinned before stepping aside. “This is Kelly.” 

 

Josie’s eyes fell to his left and immediately caught on to vibrant green eyes, honey coloured hair and a bright gorgeous smile on an even more gorgeous girl. 

 

Now, Josie was used to talking to people she’s attracted to (I mean, she had managed to speak easily to Rafael that lifetime ago, not to mention her and Penelope and even her and … doesn’t matter) yet this time Josie found herself at a loss for words. 

 

“Hi, I’m Kelly Young.” The young witch smiled, sticking out her hand. 

 

“Josie Saltzman.” Josie managed, regaining her composure and shaking her hand. 

 

_‘Wow her eyes are so green. They’re like emeralds and she’s so pretty and-’_

 

“Okay, I’ll let you girls get on with the tour,” Alaric said suddenly, snapping the two girls out of their abnormally long eye contact. 

 

“Right! Yes, this way.” Josie said, gently pulling Kelly along behind her with their still connected hands. Josie noticed this as soon as they were inside and let go. “Oh! Goodness, so sorry!” She blushed furiously and Kelly laughed. 

 

“Don’t worry about it,” she shrugged nonchalantly, “holding a pretty girl’s hand isn’t something that needs an apology.” She smiled shyly and Josie’s blush only grew. 

 

“So, how do you like history?” Josie asked, walking side by side through the corridor with the girl as students started to make their way to their respective classes. 

 

“Is that your way of asking me if I want to know the school’s history?” Kelly smiled, there being no jeering behind her comment, just playfulness. 

 

“Maybe…” Josie smirked, Kelly’s nod being her signal to tell her all about the Salvatore brothers, her parents and the school’s purpose.

 

“My Dad and my Mum - well surrogate mother but that’s a whole other story - wanted to create an environment for me and my sister to grow up in which we can be protected but also learn how to embrace our supernatural side for the better. And, of course, make sure other supernaturals don’t become what humans think we are: monsters.” Josie said, glad as Kelly nodded alongside her, clearly listening to every word. 

 

“Please tell me if I’m boring you by the way,” Josie said quickly, turning to face the other witch as they walked into the library. 

 

“No, please continue.” Kelly encouraged, running her fingers along the spines of various books on the shelves. 

 

“Well, like any regular school the ‘factions’ keep to themselves. Except, instead of band geeks and jocks and cheerleaders it’s witches, werewolves and vampires. We do try to integrate the groups though of course so it isn’t like you can only hang out with your kind and - sorry, I’m rambling aren’t I?” 

 

“Kinda.” Kelly laughs. “But I get what you mean. I’ve never really had the real high school experience but I’m assuming a boarding school is close enough. Perhaps less hellish and definitely far from a normal high school because instead of learning physics I learn the chemistry of magic.” Josie giggles and shrugs. 

 

“Well, you actually do learn physics as well,” Josie explained, leaning back against the bookshelf behind her. “So not too far off from regular high school.” Kelly grinned, laughing lightly. 

 

“Do you want to find out what wickery is?” Josie asked.

 

“If it’s as cool as the supernatural football game I saw yesterday then a thousand times yes.”

 

Josie grinned, leading Kelly out to the field and not being at all shy in grabbing the other girl’s hand this time.

 

//

 

“Hope? Earth to Hope!” Penelope snapped her fingers in front of the tribrid’s face as she stared off into the distance. “Mikaelson!” Hope snapped back, looking at Penelope.

 

“What?”

 

“Ah, welcome back to earth! How was your trip to Mars?”

 

“Shut up,” Hope grumbled, staring back at what she was so intently focused on before Penelope had interrupted. Penelope frowned, following her best friend’s gaze across the common room and finding exactly what she was looking at instantly. 

 

Josie sat on the sofa on the other side of the common room with the new witch Hope had rescued the day before. Sally or something? Whatever her name was, she was clearly making a lasting impression on the young brunette witch, at least if her fits of laughter, huge smile and aura of happiness was anything to judge by. 

 

“Pen?” 

 

“Hm?”

 

“How do you win back a girl who was never actually yours?”

 

The green-eyed girl paused.

 

“You sound like a wattpad boy.”

 

//

 

Later that day Josie found herself at a party, talking with Kelly like how she had practically the whole day.  

 

Kelly was great, she was hilarious, genuinely interesting and just an all around amazing person, how jaw-droppingly gorgeous she is was just icing really. Lizzie had just left to go find MG, leaving the two girls alone. 

 

“I’m really glad your dad asked you to tour me,” Kelly admitted, smiling at Josie shyly over her cup, her green eyes sparkling in the dim light of the mill.

 

“I’m just really glad Lizzie couldn’t come this morning,” Josie replied. 

 

Yet, as Kelly smiled at her all Josie could think of, just like the rest of the day, was Hope. Hope and her stupid gorgeous blue eyes that Josie could stare at for ages on end, Hope’s soft auburn hair that her fingers had tangled themselves into last night, Hope’s adorable laugh and breathtaking smile and just Hope. 

 

Just Hope. 

 

And Hope had just walked in with Landon on her arm. 

 

“Well,” Kelly said, grabbing Josie’s attention, “with Lizzie gone I guess we have to find something to do.” She hummed, smiling easily. 

 

Josie gave her an endearing look, feeling Hope’s eyes on her as she bit down on her lip. 

 

“What do you suggest then?” 

 

Kelly smirked at her, turning around to place her cup down. 

 

Thus also giving room for Josie and Hope’s eyes to meet.

 

Time seemed to move slower as Josie’s eyes locked on to Hope’s blue eyes. Those eyes that bore into her soul and those eyes that she wanted to drown in. She felt herself drown deep into Hope Mikaelson as the other girl stared at her longingly. 

 

However, as soon as Landon appeared again at Hope’s side Josie’s eyes dropped. 

 

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

 

“Josie?” Kelly’s voice brought her back as she gazed at the taller girl. “Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah, yeah! Sorry.” Josie shook herself from her thoughts before her eyes drifted over Kelly’s shoulder and locking right on to blue eyes that had never looked away. 

 

Josie immediately brought her eyes back to Kelly as soon as Hope’s eyes met hers, grabbing on to the collar of her shirt and pulling her closer to her. All Josie could taste was the mix of Kelly’s cherry lip gloss and cheap beer as she kissed her firmly, reaching up, her cup discarded in the process, and tangling her fingers into Kelly’s honey coloured hair. Kelly’s gasp quickly subsided as she wound her arms around Josie’s waist, pulling her even closer by her hips as Josie’s tongue begged for entrance. 

 

Yet, although all Josie felt and tasted and breathed at that moment was Kelly, she found her eyes slowly open mid-kiss, travelling over to Hope.

 

Hope who was kissing Landon. 

 

Josie felt Kelly’s breath on her lips as she switched back to the girl in front of her, Kelly’s arms around her waist bringing her back. 

 

“Hey,” Kelly whispered, a tender look crossing her face as she noticed Josie’s slight uneasiness, “Are you okay?” She asked softly, her hand cupping Josie’s cheek gently as she searched the siphon’s brown eyes. 

 

“Y-yeah.” Josie nodded, leaning her cheek into Kelly’s touch before pressing her lips gently to Kelly’s palm as the green-eyed girl smiled at her. “I just don’t think the smell of raging teenage hormones around us combined with the beer in my stomach pair well together.” Josie smiled. Kelly laughed, running her thumb over Josie’s cheekbone.

 

“Good, I was scared for a second that my breath was making you uneasy.” Josie let out a giggle at that, her eyes briefly glancing at Hope.

 

Hope, who was staring right back at her, a crushed solo cup in one hand and the other hand on Landon’s hip. 

 

Josie straightened her back as she looked back at Kelly. 

 

“Sorry for kissing you so suddenly by the way.” She mumbled. 

 

“Never apologise for kissing me, Josie.” Kelly grinned, her hand now caressing Josie’s neck.

Josie smiled before leaning back in, tilting her head and kissing Kelly firmly again, the guilt throbbing in the back of her mind as she felt Kelly smiled into it. 

 

And, yet again, Josie found her eyes opening, landing automatically on Hope and finding the tribrid pulling Landon back in, eyes flashing golden for a split second and never breaking eye contact with Josie. 

 

 _‘Fuck’_ Josie thought, closing her eyes and kissing Kelly harder now, the witch letting out a small moan in response and the guilt at the back of Josie’s head now fully consuming her and giving her a full-on headache. 

 

Kelly pulled back, resting her forehead against Josie’s and trying desperately to catch her breath. 

 

“D-do… uh… do you want to get out of here?” Kelly asked, looking at Josie hesitantly. 

 

Josie nodded, a small smile on her head.

 

Her guilt smacked against the back of her head much like a frying pan.

 

_You’re using her, Jo._

 

_You can’t do that to her._

 

“Kelly, wait.”

 

//

 

“Did it work?” Landon whispered, looking at Hope. However, upon noticing the golden glow dim down in Hope’s eyes he pursed his lips. “I’m guessing ‘make Josie jealous’ plan did not work.” He answered, Hope’s silence speaking more than she could manage at that moment as the boy slowly backed away from her. 

 

“She just left with Kelly,” Hope mumbled, her shoulders dropping. 

 

“I’m sorry, Hope.” Landon sighed. 

 

“It’s not your fault, I’m just glad you agreed to the now failed plan.” Hope laughed, yet her laugh was cold and emotionless. 

 

“Hey, what are ex-boyfriends for?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took yoinks for me to update! I'm officially on summer break now but I am headed off to summer camp for two weeks this Sunday so fair warning. 
> 
> Here's a long-ish update to compensate!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! :)


	3. Golden Eyes

Hope kicked off her jeans in a huff, her brain buzzing from both the alcohol and the flurry of emotions running through her; at this point, the metaphorical use of “butterflies” in her stomach paled in comparison to the hornet’s nest that was buzzing away inside of her. As she let warm water run over her skin her eyes fell shut as she replayed the moments of the night over and over in her head. 

 

Hope restrained herself from punching the tiled wall of the shower out of anger at the thought of what Josie and that new witch were doing right now. 

 

Yet, her growing anger did not happen to stop her brain from flashing unwanted images behind her closed eyes. 

 

Someone else touching Josie where she had touched her not even two nights ago, hands running over her stomach and the hickeys she had left on her neck and her thighs. These hickeys being quickly replaced by the work of a mouth that wasn’t hers.

 

Someone holding Josie, kissing her, having her nails run down their back and running their fingers through her hair.

 

Someone who wasn’t Hope putting her hands all over  _ her _ Josie. 

 

Except Josie wasn’t hers. 

 

Hope knew that even if they were dating Josie  _ still _ wouldn’t be hers but her wolf argued otherwise. 

 

Her wolf howled in anger and possession at the brief yet painful sight of Josie’s lips locked on to Kelly’s earlier that night. She didn’t want to even think of how her wolf was feeling currently after the montage of thoughts that had just run through her stupid brain. 

 

She couldn’t bear to think of what Josie had thought after seeing the flash of her eyes earlier that night. 

 

How much she must have scared Josie.

 

How badly she wanted to run to Josie right now. 

  
How badly she wanted to just explain to Josie what was happening. How she had broken up with Landon before the Spring Break Road Trip before Josie had confessed her past crush before Hope had realised that she had feelings for Josie and before she almost died and slept with Josie. She wanted to tell Josie all of that and more; she wanted to tell Josie she might just love her. 

 

Or maybe not.

 

All she knows that whatever feelings she’s had for anyone previously is nothing compared to how she feels about Josie Saltzman. 

 

As Hope pulled a cardigan on over her t-shirt she sighed, looking in the mirror. 

 

“Huh…” She huffed almost bitterly, getting major deja vu to just the night before, except tonight there would be no Josie Saltzman knocking on her door. 

 

There would be no making fun of Josie’s Fortnite pyjamas and certainly, no sight of Josie’s flushed cheeks as her hand tangled in Hope’s auburn hair or lightly kissing the inside of Josie’s thighs as she came down. 

 

The only thing that would be there was the same feeling she got when she rolled over and saw the vacant space Josie left. 

 

Hope figured at that moment that she wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight, thus resulting in her turning towards her bookshelf and picking up her copy of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to read for the 1500th time. 

 

“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversations?’”

 

Yet, as she opened the book and ran her fingers along the pages and the small coffee stain on the edges, she felt a pull inside of her, a feeling that told her something was amiss. She tried to shrug it off, downplaying it to the pit of jealousy in her stomach or just hunger. 

 

Yeah, hunger.

 

Maybe a cookie or something from the kitchen would get rid of this annoying feeling in her stomach and distract her snarling wolf from thoughts of Josie Saltzman’s hands scratching down new girl’s back whilst she threw her head back. 

 

Hope wrinkled her nose as she stood up, holding the book in her hand and making her way towards the school kitchen. Her finger gently skimmed the worn pages as she walked, the feeling in her stomach only growing as she drew nearer and nearer to the kitchen and Hope frowned, stopping in her tracks and knitting her eyebrows together as she looked around, her ears suddenly alert and her wolf emitting small growls as it crouched backwards on its hind legs. 

 

She heard the sound of a beating heart in her ears, turning left and right at the sudden sound. She knew that with her werewolf abilities (and buried vampire ones) her senses were heightened, this includes her ears, but normally it’s only when she wills it, instead of at this moment her ears perked by themselves, the heartbeat thumping in her ears and a sudden scent invading her nostrils. 

 

Admittedly, Hope must have looked like a dog, her ears alert and sniffing the air, but she couldn’t care less because she knew one thing at that moment. 

 

“Josie.” 

 

Hope’s wolf’s ears perked as it seemed to rear backwards, crouching on its hindlegs and digging its paws into the ground, growling lowly. The feeling in her stomach was quickly explained as something that was not hunger or jealousy; something was happening to Josie. 

 

“Joshua, I need to find her. I wanna see her, not you.” Josie slurred, her voice slow and distant but every syllable made Hope’s heart beat faster, her pulse punching against her pale skin and her heart thundering in her ears whilst her legs picked up their pace. 

 

“Come on Saltzman.” Hope could hear the sleazy smirk in his voice, picturing him walking closer towards her right now. “We both know that this - us - is inevitable,” Joshua said. 

 

Joshua was one of the new vampires. To put it plainly he had stirred some shit up at Mystic Falls High: drinking off of random girls, compelling girls to have sex with him, attempting to kill other students, your usual pre-Elena-Damon-Salvatore stuff. 

 

From day one it was clear that Joshua’s next “target” was Josie. Hope wasn’t blind; she saw the way he would trail his eyes up and down her legs when she wore her school skirt, how he would always flirt with her and so on. 

 

And this is exactly why Hope was almost sprinting towards the kitchen right now because, even though Josie is probably drunk out of her mind, that sure as hell won't stop Joshua. 

 

“You were throwing yourself at me all night, what else could that have meant?” He drawled out and Hope’s eyes turned gold. 

 

“Was I?” Josie said, her question completely genuine in her current state. “I don’t remember that… I remember Kelly and then you gave me a drink and then -”

 

“Let’s just cut the fat, Saltzman.” He smirked and took another step forward. 

 

“Back off Joshua,” Hope growled, the boy in question turning around from where he had the brunette backed into a corner.

 

Hope’s eyes immediately flashed towards Josie, the siphon (despite her drunken state) looking terrified as her hands grasped blindly at the wall behind her for something to stabilise herself. 

 

“Get out Mikaelson, this isn’t your business.” Joshua huffed, attempting to turn back to Josie. 

 

“If you lay a hand on her, that same hand will be ripped from your body.” Hope snarled, her wolf growling alongside every syllable and howling for release. Her eyes kept flickering back and forth to Josie, trying desperately to reassure her.

 

The thump of Josie’s heartbeat in her ears only increased her want for nothing more than to take the taller girl into her arms, whisper sweet nothings into her ear and wait for her heart rate to settle

 

The vampire did not miss Hope’s concerned eyes flickering to Josie as a smirk took form on his face. 

 

“Oh,” he said, an air of confidence about him. “I think I get it now. Josie, your lap dog over there thinks that no one else can have you except her. She thinks that she has some sort of claim over you.” He then turned to Hope, who was millimetres away from ripping his heart out. 

 

“Well, wolf, what I don’t think you understand is that Josie would never willingly pick you.” He scoffed and Hope clenched her fists, keeping her head high as she stared him down, not flinching though his words stung. “But go ahead, be my guest.” He then walked away from Josie and began to leave the kitchen. 

 

“I don’t want some dog’s sloppy seconds anyway.” He said, staring at Josie before walking out. 

 

“The hell did you just say to -” Hope began to walk after him before a small whisper brought her back down to earth. 

 

“Hope?” Josie called out, her voice small and slow. “Hope, the room is spinning.” She murmured and Hope rushed over to her.

 

Hope’s hands went up to her face, her thumb running across the younger girl’s cheek. Her wolf whimpered softly, wanting to check every inch of Josie to make sure she was safe and he hadn’t done anything to her. 

 

“Wow, your eyes are so blue.” Josie giggled, reaching forward and cupping Hope’s neck. “Well, not right now.” Josie pouted.

 

Hope immediately ducked her head down, keeping her eyes away from Josie. She screwed her eyes shut and turned away. 

 

“Sorry.” She murmured before feeling two gentle hands, one on her cheeks and the other under her chin. 

 

“Don’t be,” Josie whispered, her voice still laced with giggles and her breath painted with alcohol and a future hangover. “I like your golden eyes, they’re like little stars except they’re in your eyes. And I could probably touch them, but that would be like poking your eye and you wouldn’t like that.” Josie hummed to herself. 

 

“No, don’t think I would,” Hope smirked, leaning into the palm firmly pressed against her cheek. 

 

“Are you okay?” Josie asked, her voice gentle and soft. 

 

“I should be asking you that, Jo.” Hope sighed, her eyes tracing her features, making sure there wasn’t a single blemish on her face. 

 

“I’m sorry, Hope,” Josie mumbled, her words still slurring together. “I’m sorry for being a but face today.” Josie sighed. 

 

“It’s okay.” Hope half-smiled, her words saying one thing but her mind saying another. “Let’s get you to bed, okay?” 

 

Yet, after Josie stumbled forward a few steps, Hope easily picked her up and carried her instead. 

 

“Oh, I’m in the air,” Josie observed, her eyes now drooping and an adorable pout forming on her face. “I thought witches couldn’t fly.” She frowned and Hope’s heart fluttered. 

 

“Come on Sabrina.” Hope smiled, shaking her head as she walked to Josie’s room, muttering a spell to open the door. 

 

Josie then giggled “Like the teenage witch,” she smiled, nuzzling her face into Hope’s bicep. “Very funny.” She mused as Hope laid her down on the bed.

 

Hope sighed as she pulled the blanket over her,

 

“Get some sleep, okay Jos?” She brushed Josie’s hair back as the brunette nodded, rolling over to get comfortable.

 

“Goodnight.” Hope smiled sadly to herself before turning to leave.

 

“Wait,” Josie called out quietly from under the covers. “Could you stay with me?” She asks timidly. Hope bit her cheek to stop herself from crying. 

 

“You won’t want me here in the morning baby.” She smiled, tears welling in her eyes. 

 

“But I’ll always want you with me.” Josie protested, pouting again and making Hope weak. 

 

“You’re drunk, Josette.” Hope countered. 

 

“Only the truth comes out when you’re drunk,” Josie argued. “You do and say things you would never do sober when you’re drunk.”

 

Hope then thought back to the night before. Josie had been sober then and still regretted sleeping with Hope. 

 

“Trust me,” Hope put her hand on the doorknob, “you’ll want Kelly in the morning, not me.” Hope slipped out of the room, leaving Josie staring at the spot she previously stood. 

 

“I only want you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know it's been yonks since I last updated but I finally did! (I keep saying this exact sentence and it's concerning). 
> 
> I'm really sorry, I've just been so busy. This year is my last year of Sixth Form so I've been doing UCAS and Personal Statement, plus I was starting to really doubt my writing and such, especially after something someone said that made me think what I'm writing is just boring or whatever. 
> 
> Anyway, I'm back! I'm on break right now so I'll see if I can write more! 
> 
> FYI, for those wondering: my summer camp that I went to this year was so much fun!


	4. Sunrise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahahahahahaha...
> 
> Hi guys.

 

Lizzie Saltzman has never been an early riser because at the age of 10 she decided she hated mornings. 

 

Yeah, the birds are singing and the sun is up again and, in the words of a 10-year-old Josie, “the morning means a new day and new opportunities!” but all of that to her was just a load. 

 

Lizzie Saltzman loves sleep though a lot more than the prospect of a new day. 

 

So when Lizzie is awoken from the blissful silent peace that is sleeping by her sister muttering to herself and rummaging through their wardrobe at 7:00 am on a Sunday she’s not happy. 

 

She’s also hungover so that doesn’t take much away from her dilemma.

 

“Josette Saltzman what the f-”

 

“Lizzie I need your help.” Her twin said, standing up at the sound of the blonde’s voice. Josie turned around, crossing her arms and a frustrated pout already on her face.

 

“How in hell’s name are you not currently hungover?” Lizzie groaned, not letting the sight of a drunk Josie staggering back to school with Kelly slip from her memories yet. 

 

“I don’t know and I’ve had a lot of coffee.” Josie shrugged, tilting her head up higher in some faux sense of pride and justification of her actions. “That’s beside the point, I need you.” She firmly stated, not budging from her spot.

 

It was only when Lizzie sat up that she noticed her brunette counterpart’s bloodshot eyes, looking a lot like she’d been crying, and her fidgeting fingers. 

 

The back and forth motion of her index and middle fingers as they rubbed against each other as Josie’s telltale sign of worrying was not getting past even a hangover version of Lizzie Saltzman. 

 

The blonde siphon sighed sympathetically, slowly getting up from her bed to take her twin’s hands. 

 

“W-where are we going?” Josie asks, her eyebrows knitting together. “Are - are you okay Liz? I-I’m sorry I woke you I-”

 

“Josie, relax.” Lizzie soothed her, leading her as she walked back towards her bed. 

 

Josie didn’t say another word and simply followed her sister’s actions as the blonde laid back down in bed, pulling the brunette with her. 

 

Gently, Lizzie pulled Josie near to her, letting the brunette slowly relax into her twin’s hold. 

 

Not long after Josie’s head was tucked safely between Lizzie’s shoulder and neck and her entire body relaxed as the other girl squeezed her gently.

 

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” Lizzie asked gently.

 

The shorter twin tensed for a moment as the events of the last two days played some sort of slideshow that only she could see before her eyes. 

 

Hope injured.

 

Sleeping with Hope. 

 

Landon…

 

Kelly…

 

Seeing Hope at the party.

 

And Hope helping her with Joshua last night and to admit to herself that all she wanted was Hope. 

 

The feeling of Lizzie’s hand rubbing circles into her back brought her back to her current situation as she sighed, throwing an arm over Lizzie’s waist.

 

“Well, it all started two days ago when I slept with Hope.”

 

“Okay start from - wait, you what?”

 

//

 

Lizzie Saltzman is known for a lot of things.

 

Her controlling personality, her killer outfits, how she’s a fighter, how if anyone laid a single finger on her sister they would regret getting out of bed that morning and many other things.

 

However, what’s not very commonly known about Elizabeth Saltzman is one thing:

 

She sucks at maths. 

 

English? Fine. Drama? Great. Geography? She detests it but she’s nailing it regardless. 

 

Maths? Lizzie would rather kiss Landon than sit a maths exam. 

 

Equations aren’t really her thing, she never remembers the right formula and always somehow manages to screw up her answer.

 

But there’s one equation she knows by heart:

 

Josie + Hope = Josie being happy.

 

And, in all honesty, that’s the only equation she needs to know. Especially right now as she storms towards the dining hall. 

 

Oh, but first, a quick pitstop. 

 

If you remember earlier, one other thing Lizzie Saltzman is famous around the Salvatore school for is protecting her sister. And there’s no way that she is going to let some wannabe Edward Cullen vampire called Joshua get away with trying to assault her very intoxicated sister last night. 

 

Lizzie grits her teeth as she holds her chin up high, walking with purpose before tapping the aforementioned boy on the shoulder.

 

“What’s up, Saltzman?” A sleazy smirk takes form on his face and Lizzie fixes him with a cold smile. 

 

“Hey, Joshua.” She smiles, her voice breezy but eyes cold and piercing. “Can I talk with you a sec?” 

 

He nods and follows her to a more secluded area of the library. 

 

“So, what is it you’re dying to say to me?” He asks. 

 

Lizzie had to physically restrain herself from punching him square in his misshapen nose, so, instead, she pulled her phone out of her pocket. 

 

“If you touch one hair on my sister’s head, or if you say one word about her, I have absolutely no problem at all in sending a school-wide blast text of you begging me to hook up with you alongside a picture of everyone’s favourite micropenis.” Lizzie snarled. 

 

From the way his face turned sheet white, Lizzie knew that this would be the easiest part. 

 

And now for the hard part.

 

“Hope Andrea Mikaelson.” 

 

Now, from the way that the tribrid’s back visibly tensed and from how she almost shrunk into herself, Lizzie could tell this would be the hardest part. 

 

“We need to talk about how you yanked a fistful of roses from my sister’s secret garden,” Lizzie stated, folding her arms and staring the shorter girl down. 

 

“I - I what?” Hope spluttered, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. “Is … Is that a metaphor? A metaphor that I’m supposed to understand?”

 

Lizzie huffed in annoyance, stepping closer and lowering her voice. 

 

“I want to talk to you about how you and my sister fu--”

 

“Silencio!” Hope said quickly, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide in realisation.

 

Lizzie narrowed her eyes, murmuring something before Hope reversed the spell. 

 

“I’m not wrong, am I?” She stated pointedly.

 

“Technically no but surely there’s a more eloquent way to say it!” Hope protested. 

 

“Well, you didn’t like my metaphor so I figured I’d cut the fat,” Lizzie explained flippantly, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. 

 

“Regardless, there’s nothing to talk about,” Hope mumbled, her defences edging their way upwards. “It was sex, that’s all it was.” She shrugged.

 

“The blush on your cheeks and the sadness in your eyes argue otherwise, Mikaelson.” The blonde countered, arms folding and eyebrows quirking skywards. 

 

“Lizzie, I really don’t want to talk about it.” She said before trying to slip past the taller girl.

 

Lizzie quickly countered this by stepping with her.

 

“No, no way H-”

 

“Lizzie,” the older girl choked out, Lizzie finally meeting the other set of blue eyes and seeing the pain in them, “please.” 

 

The younger Saltzman twin immediately dropped her intimidation approach and instead took the small tribrid into her arms. 

 

As soon as Lizzie felt Hope relax she squeezed her tighter, feeling the auburn-haired girl bury her face into Lizzie’s shoulder.

 

At that moment, Lizzie didn’t mind her having to crouch down so Hope could hug her properly because she instead memorised another maths equation:

 

Hope - Josie = Sad Hope

 

And a sad Hope Mikaelson was not going to do. 

 

Lizzie needed a plan and she needed one fast.

 

She could just lock them in a closet together until they make out. 

 

Yes, that’s a solid plan. 

 

But that would probably end in one of them crying instead and just more tension and dancing around feelings.

 

Lizzie needed another plan. 

 

//

 

Josie Saltzman was going to get her girl. 

 

The brunette witch had woken up that morning determined. And after ripping through her wardrobe and finding the perfect “go get your girl” outfit she started formulating a plan.

 

The steps were easy to follow and follow them she will.

 

She adjusted her fitted grey jumper over her white collared shirt, checking herself in the mirror and nodding firmly to herself.

 

As she strutted out into the corridor she held her head high. The determined click of her boots as she walked down the corridor was the only echoing sound in her mind.

 

_No thoughts._

 

_Head empty._

 

_Just find Hope._

 

“Hey! Josie!”

 

_Oh no._

 

Josie braced herself before turning around and seeing Kelly’s blinding smile. 

 

“Are you feeling better today?” The young witch asked genuine concern in her voice and gently placing a hand on her arm. 

 

This was the thing that Josie found the most endearing about Kelly: how gentle and kind she was. This girl was a walking version of the sun, this warm energy of friendliness just shone off of her and everything she did. The girl was all smooth edges and soft feelings.

 

So why didn’t Josie want her in the way she thought she was supposed to?

 

Thank God she had already told Kelly this, but that doesn’t make her feel any worse for making out with her while she knew she had feelings for Hope.

 

“Yeah, Kel, I am.” Josie smiled. “Thanks for asking. And, uh, I’m really sorry for last night…”

 

“Josie, seriously, don't worry,” Kelly reassured her, squeezing her arm. “I don’t even know what I was thinking.” 

 

She sighed and placed her hand on her forehead and Josie just couldn’t help but think about how Hope does just that when she’s frustrated in the middle of research. 

 

_“Ugh, why did Malivore just have to send the monster with the least amount of information on it ever.” Hope groaned from her seat in the library as Josie placed a finger on her page._

 

_“Who the hell even is Mahsuri?” Hope sighed, placing a hand on her forehead._

 

_Josie couldn’t help but smile and tilt her head._

 

_“Well, according to this book on Malay folklore, she was a princess who placed a curse on this island.” Josie read aloud, her nose wrinkling. “She was accused of committing adultery by a woman jealous of her and -”_

 

_“You look cute when you do that,” Hope said quietly, smiling to herself._

 

_“Pardon?” Josie said._

 

_“Nothing,” Hope said suddenly, straightening her back. “Uh, continue, so we can defeat this monster and you can get back to your Lovelace analysis.”_

 

“Either way, I’m still sorry.” Josie huffed.

 

“In that case, I’m just as sorry,” Kelly stated firmly. “I was in a really vulnerable place too. I just had to run from furies for crying out loud.” 

 

Josie laughed, twisting the corner of her mouth. 

 

“I think we both just needed someone there for us,” Kelly explained and Josie nodded.

 

“Well, uh, thank you. For being there that is.”

 

“You too.” Kelly smiled softly and Josie returned it. “And, if it makes you feel better, I would crush on Hope Mikaelson too.” Josie giggled. “But I won’t as we are friends and she’s your girl.” 

 

Josie scoffed. “Unfortunately she’s someone else’s.”

It was then Kelly’s turn to laugh. 

 

“Are you serious? Have you not seen the way that girl looks at you? Josie that girl’s in love with you.”

 

//

 

Hope was almost the anti-Kelly.

 

Whilst Kelly is the human version of the sun rising, Hope’s more like the evening.

 

When the water is still and calm and the sun is setting beautifully in the distance. Watching a sunset can bring out such a wide range of emotions but one most of all for Josie: awe.

 

Loving Hope was like watching ripples of water leading out to the blend of orange and pink that is the setting sun. Like watching the stars blink to life in the sky and just feeling at peace with herself. 

 

Granted she didn’t feel that way currently but she longed for that feeling to return. 

 

Maybe Hope would choose Landon over her, but she had to let the girl know how she felt. Even if it killed her.

 

And she knew that even if Landon chooses Hope and Hope chooses him, she’d never stop fighting for her. Not that she’d go out of her way to jeopardise their relationship but just that she would always know that she loved Hope.

 

Holy shit.

 

Josie loves Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been so long! I really have no excuse except that it's my A-Level year so I'm busy all the time. But I finally sat down and wrote so here it is. 
> 
> I realised I may be dragging this out so this will probably only have 2 more chapters? Anyways another cliff-hanger woop...
> 
> Let me know what you think again but don't be mean pls. Because if you're mean you don't get a cookie, so ... the ball's in your caught my dude.

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually multi-chapter because I actually have a plot! Yay! 
> 
> Comment your thoughts guys, I normally read and reply to every comment! 
> 
> Thanks so much :)
> 
> Oh, by the way, it doesn't really get better from here. Whoops?


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